The theory of sustainable development is perhaps the most equivocal factor that has dominated many debates in addition to generating equally varied interpretations from environmentalists. Sustainable development places significant importance on the maintenance of natural resources. For this reason, several values often emerge when defining or during the inclusion of natural resources. Resources come in different types that can be categorized as renewable and non-renewable. While resources are useful for the survival of humans both in supporting life and in meeting people’s needs, the satisfaction of human needs and scarcity of resources has led to several resistances. Such resistances include politics, pollution, and technology.
This paper aims to provide an exploration of resources from three different perspectives; technology, pollution, and politics as presented in the Telegraph Newspaper (Ellis, 2012). Undeniably, use, extraction, and processing of resources contributes to a plethora of environmental harms such as the obliteration of ecosystems and pollution and it as well contributes to the growth of the economy such as in job creation. The paper explores the views of Congressional candidate Plummer Jason has he talks of how can create job opportunities to the people of south Illinois. While the article talks of the importance of resources in the creation of employment in the US, the author also explores the souring energy, oil, and coal prices. In light of these points, the author points out that he will use his politics to inculcate sensible ideas to the Congress on matters revolving natural gas, oil, and other feasible forms of energy. It is also evident that the author acknowledges the importance of using particular forms of energy in efforts aimed at the reduction of souring energy prices.
Resources and Pollution
Today, the issue of conserving and protecting the environment is one of the leading and most prioritized issues in the world. Global warming, rise in sea levels, global changes, and greenhouse effects are examples of issues that have used to describe the dangers posed to resources. Equally, there has been a call for uniform ecological policies that present formidable challenges for various world governments to be conscious about the effects of their productive activities and the effects of these activities on natural resources. Speaking of pollution, lack of enough knowledge coupled with disdain of the environment has led the earth has become a dumping ground. Knowingly or unknowing, human activities on the earth’s surface has contributed immensely to the pollution of natural resources. Resources affected by pollution include air, water, soil, and plant and animals. Chemicals and toxic wastes from agricultural and industrial activities affect the soil while pollutants destroy habitats and interfere with the normal lives of living organisms.
In light of these factors, it is clear that the author of the article concentrated on the positive or rather economical side of using natural resources thereby ignoring the possible effects such as pollution that might result from such activities. Additionally, resources are scarce and it has been the target of the United States to preserve its natural resources for future sustainability. This is true for coal and energy resources whereby the United States has heavily relied on foreign supply. Largely, the author uses natural resources as a tool for strengthening his political strategies in Illinois. However, he is quick to acknowledge that it is nobody’s intention to harm the environment but stresses that the resources will have to be used at one point in time, but still in the USA. For this reason, he argues that he would help Illinois to utilize its own resources. Realization of this objective will be facilitated using the energy policy.
Resources and Technology
Speaking of technology, the functional aspect of natural resources is elaborated and expanded by examining the factors that control utilization particularly such as those that encourage economic gain and as well, from factors that cause its resistance. Technological innovation and the use of technology are fundamental factors in the creation and transformation of resources. For instance, through technology, human beings can use technology to transform once unusable resources into more usable forms.
The author’s views on the article can be related to the ideas presented above because exploration of natural resources in Illinois and other parts of the United States will be facilitated by technological means. Attaining a comprehensive strategy for energy exploration means that the USA should utilize all its capabilities and technological knowhow to extract its resources. The issue of delivering sensible ideas to the congress would not be as easy as such but rather it will require the presentation of a detailed policy strategies regarding how the policy objectives will be realized in practice.
Resources and Politics
Undeniably, the author, politically minded, uses resources to further his political ambitions or at least to win the interests of the voters. According to environmentalists, sustainability of resources must be encouraged for future use but to the politician, resources must be utilized now to create jobs or achieve economic gain. The author believes that continued dependency on foreign oil is a direct result of failure to embrace the rich energy resources available in America, particularly in Illinois. This confirms the earlier assumption that the use of natural resources faces a multiplicity of challenges that include politics. Environmentalists and politicians hold different perspectives when it comes to the issue of resource exploration. While environmentalists think of environmental sustainability, politicians are more concerned with the economic gain and the realization of related political interests. Therefore, endless conflicts will always exist when it comes to the aspect of resources and politics.
Deductively, having reviewed the article in detail, there seems to be a hidden agenda based on the observable fact that the article somewhat seeks to uphold Plummer’s postulates on the need for use of available resources without consideration of the existing policies on energy production. As such, the newspaper article gives a reflection of its profound support for Plummer as the message portrayed by the article can significantly change various individuals’ opinions towards support for Plummer’s views and hence increase the chances of him winning the Republican nomination for the 12th Congressional District. Additionally, there seems to be another hidden agenda based on the authors trust on the president as well as the Environmental Protection Agency. Sincerely, the author portrays a bad picture of the mentioned entities, leaving the readers wondering on the ability of the president as well as the agency responsible for environmental management. Precisely, positive aspects of the mentioned entities are clouded by the way the author reflects on their contribution towards lack of a dependable as well as a sustainable energy source. Generally, the hidden author’s hidden agenda was to give a negative picture of other entities in a bid to support Plummer’s postulates and hence support his campaign for the Republican nomination. As such, the hidden agenda has been disguised significantly beyond the reader’s ability to notice its existence. Specifically, this has been achieved based on the author’s ability to bring out messages compatible to various target segments/readers and at a time where issues on nomination were of much essence to the population. Precisely, in the long run the message on the hidden agenda was passed vividly to the readers.
Deductively, the news paper article portrays the bureaucratic nature of the Environmental Protection Agency as well as Washington DC to be dreadful. Additionally, the news paper article portrays the State’s executive, president Obama base on their decisions on matters relating to generation of energy from coal reserves existence in the United States of America. Based on my personal opinion, the portrayal was justified based on reliable proof of the hindrance caused by the mentioned entities on projects aimed at bringing oil energy from Canada, which could in turn create jobs as well as providing alternative energy sources hence relieve population from the inflated prices of various energy sources. Evidently, geological surveys indicate that Canada has considerable amounts of coal, which could be channeled to the United States and hence allow for generation of various energy sources inclusive but not limited to electricity and power generated from generators run by coal.
Reportedly, abandoning of coal generation by the United States will necessitate construction of approximately, two hundred and fifty nuclear power plants, which are expensive to establish. Additionally, no other form of energy such as solar and wind can be viable in replacing coal as a power source. Arguably, destruction of the coal industry is bound to make the United States of America reliant on countries with radical and cartel groups, which will lead to inflation of energy prices to the American nationalities. Deductively, the news paper article further portrays Plummer as bad in that he supports use of coal as the main energy source, which can be of detrimental harm to the environment. Evidently, coal in its natural state is not harmful but upon burning it produces by-products that cause detrimental health as well as environmental effects. Moreover, the by-products of coal burning further cause health related conditions including asthma, as well as heart diseases.
Upon reading the article, I was left with various questions emanating from dependence on coal as the main energy source particularly in the context o the United States. In fact, the question on the significance vis-à-vis its detrimental impacts me got contemplating on whether use of coal is of much essence beyond the capability for scraping out its use completely. Conversely, coal stands as the significant energy source, nonetheless, it causes detrimental effects on individual health as well as environmental degradation. Therefore, mutual decision-making on whether use should be regulated is not only hard to make but calls for constructive thinking. Additionally, the issues on the alternative energy sources for coal are adequate and reliable for large scale use calls for recurrent review to ascertain the existing doubts on feasibility in use of alternative energy sources apart from coal.
Based on a peer-reviewed journal on sustainable development and environmental accounting by Gamini Herath any form of resources is defined on the basis of significance to man as well as how they resists to changes in the external environment. Conversely, in the news paper article discussed herein it is brought out that the use of resources is under ample control of human actions, particularly those involved in various entities. Furthermore, the article perceives technological innovation have a high ability to create new resources and transform resistance to use of the resources through incorporate exiting. Evidently, the issue as presented in the peer review is different from that on the news article based on the grounds on justification. Precisely, the peer reviewed journal presents it issue on an informative basis, while the newspaper article was somewhat argumentive and/or persuasive. On the other hand the peer reviewed journal share a formal basis with the news paper article as it deduces that natural resources are accountable for sustainable growth and development of individual nations based on their contribution towards the nation’s Gross Domestic Product as it lowers the expenditure on external resources. Deductively, the two readings have clearly brought out the existing factors hindering the use of natural resources towards attainment of an economically sound nation. Nonetheless, more efforts is called for in the synthesis of a link between natural resources and perceived out comes.
References
Ellis, M., C. (2012 3 14). “Plummer calls for using Southern Illinois energy resources.”
Telegraph, The (Alton, IL). Retrieved from
http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=cff01404-3147-4080-a4b5-051e7ab9c0a3%40sessionmgr113&vid=1&hid=122&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=nfh&AN=2W61438685672
Gamini H. (2005). Sustainable development and environmental accounting: the challenge to the
economics and accounting profession. International journal of social economics, 32,
1035-1050.
